DUBAI, Nov 1: Dubai’s five-billion dollar project to give the Middle East a theme park similar to Disneyland will include an 80 million square foot (7.4 million sq metre) Sports City at a cost of US$736m.

The Dubai Tourism Projects Development Co. and three Emirati businessmen announced plans in a statement published Saturday to build Dubai Sports City as part of the overall Dubailand project.

The Sports City, which will be built in two phases, will have an outdoor “multi-purpose” stadium with a capacity of 25,000 people, designed to host international matches in various sports from cricket, tennis, and golf as well horse racing.

The “Dubailand” theme park will comprise 45 different developments with labels such as Aviation World, Motor Racing World, Arabian Theme Park, Pharaohs Theme Park, Snow World and Dinosaur World.

It will be built on a two billion square feet (185 million square meter) swathe of desert, off the main road linking Dubai with Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the seven-member United Arab Emirates federation of which Dubai is part.—AFP